Peter Hänsel

Who was Peter Hänsel?

Peter Hänsel was a German-Austrian violinist and classical composer of almost exclusively chamber music. He has been recently viewed not only as the principal representative of the true quartet school of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but also the composer responsible for incorporating French and Polish influences into the Viennese classical style, thus serving as mediator between Germany, France and Poland.

Like his contempo Ludwig van Beethoven, he was one of Haydn's composition pupils during the 1790s. He died in Vienna shortly before his 61st birthday.